Yesterdays, Todays and Tomorrows
by armastaja
Summary: THIS IS A SEQUEL READ THE FIRST STORY BEFORE THIS ONE! Sequel to Don't Take Your Mask Off! Hermione's in Egypt working on her apprenticeship as a Curse Breaker; Draco is a growing businessman changing Malfoy Incorporated. They haven't seen each other since they day they left Hogwarts after Graduation, when they meet, will they feel the same?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: So here it is, by popular demand, a sequel to Don't Take Your Mask Off. I'd prefer if new readers read the aforementioned story before this one, but I can't make you do anything. I'm also having trouble with Little Red Riding Hood, it's not good enough I feel… so your thoughts on that massacre would be lovely as well!**

**Please read and review, feel free to request/suggest input.**

**Xx Kimberley xX**

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Chapter One: Smoke and Mirrors

Hermione's first day in Egypt as an apprentice curse break was difficult. She had packed the message box she and Draco shared, and always wore the infinity jewellery he gave her. The Hogwarts graduate knew she had to push herself far in her apprenticeship before they could evolve their relationship further.

At least in Egypt, the paparazzi couldn't pester her about the very public love confession a few days ago in the Great Hall.

With a wave of her wand, her toy dragon alarm clock puffed out a large cloud of smoke. Slowly the billowing cloud formed a three figure number signalling the beginning of her countdown.

_729 Days Left…_

It felt longer than two years two wait.

"Hermione, Stop sleeping in, we have work to do!" the voice of Bill Weasley came from the other side of the bedroom door.

She looked in the mirror briefly to see if he had replied to her message that sent an hour earlier. Her earrings remained quiet, feeling the now familiar ache of mission Draco Malfoy; she fixed her dragon hide vest and boots before leaving.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Hermione balanced herself precariously on the ledge; the sticking charm she cast a few minutes earlier hadn't eased her nerves.

"Remember 'Mione, these ancients have been known to place their truths in riddles, so in order to not trigger booby traps, you must study the way the have placed the pictures and which direction your body should be facing before you start the translations." The eldest Weasley son's voice was reassuring and poised as he shuffled closer to her position.

"Bill, how do you remain so calm when we're 500 feet below the ground, in a tomb that is as large as the Ministry's atrium, on a very tiny outcropping trying not to set off soul-sucking traps?"

The red haired man chuckled, "Easy, don't think about it. Now focus, see this scarab beetle symbol here, looking at the direction it's positioned and the degree of the angle you can tell the incantation is meant to be read backwards and upside down. Think quickly though, the timer is almost up, should you levitate yourself up there or-"

"- write it down as I can see it now, rotate and reverse then cast it." It was getting easier and easier, even this morning when the smoking formed the number _643_ in her countdown was better than the day before. Ancient Runes came naturally and she found herself double checking that her notes to Draco and her friends were in English and not Runes.

"Smart ass, good job my little bookworm, Fingal owes me ten galleons – he thought your first time with reversal curses was going to result in you climbing half up the wall!"

"I thought I told you two to stop betting on me! I'm not here for entertainment!"

"I know that Princess, but you don't know how many apprentices screw this up and it's funny. Stop being a sour puss and unlock the vault already, that's an order." Hermione knew Bill was grinning at the fact that she couldn't disobey her new boss's orders, so with a series of precise wand movements and several words muttered a light golden glow emitted from the cracks in the wall in front of her. The once solid rock faltered before sliding into itself to reveal a passageway.

"Bingo." Bill patted her on the back before strutting into the now open cavern.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

_401_

She swatted her arm to dissipate the smoke numbers as she noticed the lights shining from underneath her bed. Heart skipped a beat as she clambered down to retrieve the glittery box.

The thick parchment was creased as it were folded a dozen times before it was sent to her, her fingers ran across the green wax seal before breaking it to read her letter.

_Hermione,_

_I've been in and out of meetings all day, each time I start writing I am interrupted by my boring assistant telling me who I am supposed to be seeing and talking to at that moment. I'm sorry most of my responses have been short, but changing Malfoy Incorporated was a bigger task than first anticipated. What's worse is that I cannot bounce ideas off you, or have you in my arms like our parting night. Nott and Zabini keep dragging me out at night as well, which is providing a strong distraction when I'm missing you but it's only a temporary fix. Weasleys have been a good influence on them, except for the finishing each others sentences – THAT is driving me insane. As you probably know, Ginny and Pansy have blown up their house again. This time it is over the décor – or something silly, Pansy was blubbering about it and Red lost her marbles because of something. Those two women keep destroying everything they own then fixing it up the next day – something else has got to be wrong with them. It's probably something you should be caring about, not me. Enough of all of this chit chat from my life, how is your apprenticeship, has Fingal backed off you yet? I know you're more than capable when it comes to handling yourself but keep an eye on him. _

_I spend most mornings staring at that stupid kneazle clock you gave me, watching the string it plays with count down the days until I see you again. I can't believe it's Spring and I've spent nearly a year without seeing your furrowed brow._

_I keep asking myself why did I let you go on your apprenticeship, but then I correct myself by thinking I couldn't make you do anything you didn't want to do. Plus I know this is good for us, I now know what I want after spending months hulled up in my father's old office. I hate how I've kept the memory of him, but I can't bear to destroy it myself – I'll need your help with that. If your next letter is asking me what I want, don't ask, I'd have to show you when you're back in England. _

_All of my love,_

_Phantom._

Hermione sighed, brushing her fingertips along each word in the letter, his soul was pouring out at her but it was still so far away and untouchable. Her stomach did flips knowing that he admits that he needs her, but tears slowly pooled knowing that they were still seasons away from holding each other in the flesh again.

The ex-Head Girl had thought numerous times about apparating over to his for the night, spending another night like they had spent their last, but apparation across several counties takes everything out of a person, usually one would have to hop across several countries before arriving at their intended destination. Since one had to picture the place they were apparating to, and ensure that no Muggle saw her, Hermione couldn't risk it as she could only think of popular tourist destinations to apparate to.

The familiar sensation of depressing heart ache tore her insides out, knowing that she had so much to write, but so little time to do it with Bill Weasley and the sly Daniel Fingal keeping her busy with mundane tasks and training regimes she felt helpless.

Folding the letter into quarters, she tucked it snugly between her shirt and fitted black vest inside her wand pocket before leaving her bedroom, preparing herself for another day.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

_139…_

Days passed faster than Hermione could ever imagine, letters and whispers were exchanged between her lover and her but it wasn't the same. She was excelling at her training so Bill only gave her more difficult challenges. Daniel Fingal was proving to be a thorn in her side as of late…

"So Hermione," the greasy mullet-haired man smiled coyly to the witch on his left one afternoon after a gruelling day of combative curse breaking; "care to join me for dinner at the Den tonight?"

Den, was short for the Dragon Den Pub, the only wizarding pub in the predominantly Muggle town. Hermione felt sick at the thought of dining in a pit full of smoke and aging curse breakers drinking themselves away whether she was with anyone or not.

"No thanks Fingal, I'm busy." Her replies were always short and to the point, she gave no details on her life even during work. Bill Weasley was the only one she wanted knowing about her and even that she wished she could change.

Fingal's rubbed his unshaven jaw slowly, surveying the English before him. "I don't understand why you don't want to at least take me up once on my offer, you're nice enough to Weasley and you even talk to him about friends of yours; all I want to do is learn more about you – who knows, maybe I'll sweep you off your feet with my Australian charm."

Hermione scrunched her hand into a tight, white-knuckle ball, wishing she could hit him hard. It was always the same, every shift they shared; it was like he planned to work together on all projects when Bill had a day off. Word around the dorms was that he sunk his teeth into any female that drew breath and wouldn't let an above-average one go – like a Pitbull Dog.

Bill had warned her about going to the Den, mostly the workers who went there were rotten from the inside out – Fingal especially. She asked why he was like that and why did he still work with them, Weasley's only answer was that he would handle the dire curses and had more than once been at the receiving end of an especially bad curse.

"Sorry, it's still know, same as always Daniel, I am not going to the Den, I am not going anywhere with you that isn't work related. I keep professional relationships only."

"So you're a Miss High-and-Mighty are you? Too virginal for the Den? I can always change that y'know."

"The answer is no, and I have half a mind to report you."

"For what? Being friendly to the newbie? No one else wants to put up with you; they say you're a little _too_ good at what you do. Rumours are going around saying you're fucking Weasley to pass this." His once sleazy demeanour changed dramatically into a slightly crazed man. Instantly Hermione hand her wand out of her holster and by her side, in War mode. His words were a reminder of what another Weasley almost got away with.

"Say that again faggot?" she growled, stepping forward into his space, locking eyes with him in a deadly staring game.

"I said you must be fucking that red-headed twat in order to be passing like you are. Deaf are you Granger?"

She drew her wand and pressed it against his grotty adam's apple, "I must be, please, say it _again_." Thousands of ideas for teaching this man a lesson ran through her mind, Hermione Granger after all, was never short on ideas.

"You're fucking Weasley to pass this apprenticeship."

"Yup, I thought that is what you said; well once again, you've fucked up because you have no idea what I am capable of." She prodded the quivering apple before continuing; "Now listen up clearly Fingal; I have a partner, well before I accepted this job, I have never and have no intention of sleeping with anyone else and that includes you. If you can't handle that, then maybe you shouldn't be in possession of a certain appendage. I'm more than happy to remove it for you if you like," with that, she pulled a small dagger from her other holster than was hidden amongst her equipment, and placed it at the tiny bulge between his legs. "If you don't like my Muggle method than maybe I can switch hands?"

Fingal gulped as his eyes widened at her seriousness. Her eyes remained locked on his tiny brown ones as the refused to look at her. Instead they darted around the vicinity outside of the cave they had left after their shift.

"Tsk tsk tsk Fingal, trying to find help? Need mummy to come and save you? Don't worry I'll only cut you a little…" and with those final words, she traced her dagger along his hip bone through his clothes, tiny specks of blood appeared through his daggy attire as Fingal gasped in agony.

After a few months of working in Egypt she had come across scum like Daniel Fingal beforehand, in the street markets with the faces of young and old – it took her a little while to get over the fact that she had to harm them to get her point across and her legs together.

Now it barely fazed her.

Hermione pushed Fingal hard into the entrance's wall and he stumbled and landed with a thud.

She begged her time here to go quickly and the countdown dwindle faster so that she left this place and she could be in the arms of her lover. Touching her necklace, she drew it to her lips.

"I miss you Draco."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	2. Chapter 2

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

**Author's Note: Well thanks for the warm welcome, reuniting lovers here we go! Read and review please!**

**Xx Kimberley xX**

Chapter Two: That Day

It was a smaller cloud that billowed out of the alarm clock. Hermione Granger blinked twice before realising the two years had gone passed quickly.

_1…_

She threw her feet over the bed; a small groan escaped breaking the silence of her bedroom.

POP!

"Hermione! It's been ages! Today's your last day! You get to return to England today! What the hell has happened to you? Your hair! What have you done?"

"This bedroom is a mess you don't even look like you're ready to leave in a couple of weeks let alone hours!"

All of a sudden Hermione's bedroom was filled with two loud, fast talking women.

It took Hermione a moment to realise that Ginny Weasley and Pansy Parkinson were in her bedroom touching and moving her belongings.

"What the hell?" she managed to stifle a yawn as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Hermione, it's your last day, you can return to England with your full qualifications. See Draco! You can run off and get married, have babies…" Pansy squealed, Hermione noticed how long the ex-Slytherin's raven hair had grown; it was now reaching her elbows and shone like a black diamond.

"Maybe she doesn't want to do all that straight away, have you forgotten they haven't seen each other in two whole years? What happens if she doesn't want to have babies?"

"Well sorry! I'm excited about lovers reuniting, absence makes the heart grow fonder remember?"

"Then maybe you should bugger off for a while!"

"Sometimes Ginny Weasley, you are the most impossible woman to be with!"

"I'd say the same for you Pansy Parkinson! But it's more than sometimes!"

"Pansy, Ginny, stop for a second, I haven't packed yet, haven't had my credentials certified from Bill yet and I haven't even thought of what time I'm seeing Draco yet."

"Well, judging by you're wonderful bedroom attire and from what I've seen in this horrendous closet I can safely guarantee that if you were wishing you prove to Malfoy that you're now a wand-ho cowboy lesbian, that he would definitely be convinced. So you should meet him after you tidy yourself up." Pansy sniffed at her red flannelette button up shirt that reached just below her bottom that Hermione had worn to bed for the past few months, it was comfy and she wasn't dressing up for an empty bed.

"Then why don't you go pick out a few things for Hermione to wear at the shops? Floo there though so you won't have to bounce as much on your way to Paris." The youngest Weasley smiled slighter at her partner, before handing her a key and a bag of floo powder and sending her off with a kiss.

"Why didn't you two floo here in the first place? That would have been easier than scaring me witless in my bedroom." Hermione asked, as she spoke she was very aware of her morning breath. "Ugh, I think I'm going to have a shower, do you mind speaking to me while I have one before Pansy gets back?"

"You sly minx 'Mione, you know I'm taken, even though I would _love_ to know what's under those clothes!" the red-headed woman raised an eyebrow before placing her hands on her hips provocatively.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione walked into the bathroom, making sure to seal the shower curtain tightly around, and silencing the sound of pouring water with her wand before pealing her clothes of her skin.

"So Ginny, what's going on between Pansy and you? Is it just the honeymoon stage over? I mean you almost ripped her head off when she mentioned marriage." She began lathering large amounts of apple-smelling shampoo in her unkempt hair.

The woman on the other side of the curtain groaned, "She wants to have a child, well children. Two female witches in a 'so traditional it's backwards' wizarding town where having a homosexual relationship is highly frowned upon let alone procreating in that environment. I mean seriously, I would love to be the mother of her children, I would love to see what House they would be sorted into, as well as the colour of their hair and their mannerisms but it's not like we can say she accidently got pregnant and we have to have the baby! It would have to be planned; one of us would have to fuck a guy – a male for Merlin's sake! I've seen a penis, it's definitely a no-thank you even if it was the Chosen One's. What happens if she ends up falling in love with the biological father of the child and _they_ end up keeping the baby to themselves? This is the problem Hermione!"

Hermione stayed quiet for a moment, ensuring that her best girl friend had finished her rant and she considered the poor witch's predicament.

"What about consensual IVF treatments? I mean, you could go into the Muggle world, be artificially inseminated and poof! You'll have little pug-face rangas running around!" the former Head Girl giggled openly at the old nickname Gryffindors had for the Slytherin princess.

"What the hell is IVF? Are you saying Muggles know how to give women children without sex?"

"Yeah, they also know how to kill them before they're born too."

"Well let's talk about the former for the moment, don't you need a guy's, well, load for this? I mean no offense but I don't want to chance my child being just a Muggle, Pansy barely knows how to work her house keys let alone bringing up a Muggle child in the Muggle world."

"None taken, well what about asking a male to donate, a man that has the same traits that you want in your offspring?" Hermione had now moved on from washing her hair to washing her face and body with fairy-floss scented body wash, she wanted to take her time getting ready – after all it was her last day.

"So what do we do, make him jack off, get some Muggle healer to stuff it into Pansy?"

"Gin, you make it sound grosser than what it is, it's a little more intricate than that. The donor would have to go through a few tests to make sure that they're compatible before any sperm is inserted into the egg." She washed the remaining suds off her body and turned off the silent stream of water. The bathroom was thick with steam but Hermione didn't want to take any chances of running in front of a hormonal lesbian naked.

"_Accio_ towel!" a big fluffy yellow towel flew behind the shower curtain and around Hermione's body, once doubling checking it was firmly tucked in, she climbed out of the shower and made her way back into the messy bedroom.

"Ok, only because there are more pressing matters at the moment, we'll talk about this IBF issue later." Ginny grumbled, unfolding herself from the chair she had placed in the bathroom as she too, re-entered the bedroom.

"It's I-V-F Ginny and why don't you talk about these options with Pansy? You love her and you both want this, do you really care about what the rest of the world thinks? You have a solid job with Charlie and Pansy is enjoying being a journalist for the Prophet, you two would be perfect parents!"

"Fine, I will. Now can you please tell me why it looks like you haven't done anything with your hair in two whole years?"

Hermione immediately regretted Ginny's change of topic; she used to be so proud of what her hair had become after her mother helped her with straightening treatments and hair styles and since she came to Egypt her hair was abused then tightly wound up in braids or buns for work.

"…because I haven't? Look Ginny I hadn't had time too! Bill and I were working sixteen hour shifts some days on particular curses and caverns. Not to mention there's no permanent fix for my goddamn hair, even with the keratin treatments mum bought me it only cages it for so long."

"So, your mouth is moving but all I hear is bullshit, Hermione Jean Granger, you are a woman first of all, and a curse breaker second; and don't make me point out to Miss Know-it-all that she's a witch and that magic can help with these things too!" the youngest Weasley pulled a mobile phone out of her skinny jeans and began texting furiously.

"That was the last thing on my mind to be honest… what are you doing? Since when did you have phone?"

"I'm texting Pansy to pick you up some hair products, the magically permanent kind before you ask. We are making you feminine again, thank gosh this job has kept you from packing on the weight at least…" Ginny sighed, slipping her phone back into her pocket before drawing her wand.

"Wait! Pansy knows how to work a phone, but not her keys to her Muggle house?"

"Yes well the ability to not have to write long letters and getting ink on her nails was certainly motivation for her to pick it up faster alright?" Ginny smirked, hinting at the medieval method of communication; "Anyway, get changed and see Bill, get your shit sorted then come back here straight away. No social time. Then you're coming back and writing to lover boy, you're meeting him first thing tomorrow morning so that means we've only got 24 hours to make you look like the woman he fell in love with."

"I haven't changed on the inside, isn't that want counts?"

"Yes but your insides aren't what is going to get you fucked tomorrow night."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"About time you got here, I was going to send out a search party for you!" Hermione smiled at her mentor's joke as she approached his figure that was propped against the office door.

"I would have been here earlier, but your sister decided to pay me a visit and lecture me about my appearance."

"Ginny's here? Why would she care about your appearance? Unless Pansy and she have broken up and she's after you now."

Hermione snorted at his comment, "Please, those two are arguing like an old married couple! Pansy is here too, I'm sure they'll be around to say hi soon enough. They just don't like it how I'm putting my career before my looks."

"Well luckily you did, not saying that you're unattractive, but you've aced the apprenticeship and more, you have the perfect score on all of our challenges and word is going around that there are a few companies that are interested in your abilities. Can't say I'm surprised though, being the top of everything you've ever tried. She couldn't be here today but Fleur is over the moon for you despite being sleep-deprived from Dominque's tantrums." Bill smiled warmly at her, beckoning her into one of the office chairs as he sat down on the opposite side. "Now, here is your certificate and badge, I hope you weren't expecting a ceremony or anything 'Mione."

"No, not at all! I don't want anymore attention than necessary on me. Thank you so much for showing me the ropes, I couldn't have done this without you Bill! Speaking of you, how's Victorie managing with a new little girl in your family?"

"I was more than happy to teach you everything I know; only certain people can handle being a Curse Breaker, even those who have been doing it for years still aren't cut out for it – like Fingal; but I know you are more than capable. Little Victorie, well she's showing signs of magic and the Veela gene in her, which is a good and bad thing I guess! I'm not looking forward to letting her grow up and watch hoards of boys chase after her! She still hasn't adjusted to not being the centre of attention the whole time and the terrible twos are coming into play unfortunately, because Fleur has taught her French, Vicky throws her tantrums in both English and French!"

Hermione burst out laughing at Bill Weasley's predicament, "Has she blown up anything yet?"

"She accidently blew up Teddy's favourite toy broom when they were fighting over it; she was so shocked she balled her eyes out for hours!"

"Poor girl! At least that'll help keep her tantrums under control then! Just keep reminding her about the broom!" Hermione laughed again, she felt so comfortable with Bill now, their conversations ranged from child-rearing to complex mental problems, he was funny, attractive and intelligent – it was almost like talking to Draco again.

_Almost._ A little voice sung in the back of her mind, as though her body was listening, her stomach begun flipping at the thought of seeing him soon.

"Well I better head off and pack, will you be coming to the Burrow often?" she stood and straightened her clothing.

"Most probably when the girls are a little older so it's easier to travel by Floo, Victorie thinks about different places a lot so she's almost splinched me when I picked her up from mum's the other week!" Bill followed suit and led her to the office door.

"Well, I'll let you know when if I receive any job offers, I better get going otherwise Ginny will kill me!"

The eldest Weasley son laughed, "Yes you better not keep Draco waiting!"

Hermione furrowed her brow at his jest, never, in the two years she had worked under him, did Bill ever mention her lover.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"You're lucky I haven't killed you yet Hermione Jean Granger! An hour! You were gone an hour! His office is only a ten minute walk! Didn't I tell you to make haste?" It was almost as if the fiery red-head was listening in to what she said to her mentor.

"Sorry Gin, so what do we have to do?"

"What _don't_ we have to do is the real question!" Pansy entered the bedroom with a thick bubblegum pink briefcase in tow.

"I'm not that bad! All I have to do is fix my hair!" she protested, Ginny had shoved her into a seat in front of the bathroom mirror while Pansy was opening her luggage and revealing it was a lot bigger than it looked on the outside.

"You haven't even contacted Draco yet have you?"

"Well, no, but what do I say? Hey Draco, meet me at seven at King Cross Station Platform 3?"

"Yes!" the couple sighed simultaneously.

"I already took the liberty of writing it for you, you just need to sign it and send it however you want to send it." Ginny pulled out a small parchment scroll and gave it to her. Hermione resigned to the fact that she did really want to see Draco, but her nerves about how much he may have changed – including his feelings, prevented her from writing the letter earlier. Now that she was confronted with two seething lesbians, Hermione thought it was best to follow their instructions, signing her name along with a quick P.S. that Ginny wrote most of it for her while she was getting her certificate; and she sent it through the jewellery box before sitting back down in front of the mirror.

"Good, now that everything is taking care of, let's begin!" Pansy squealed, clapping her hands as Ginny pulled various items out of the briefcase.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"So, you like it?" Pansy fiddled with the ends of Hermione's long dark hair.

"Yes, I think I do, it's been a while since I've looked at anything different in the mirror."

"Well it's just shining a diamond." Ginny cooed sweetly, adjusting the strap of Hermione's new bra, making her breasts swell just a tiny bit.

"Honestly you two, new clothes, underwear and shoes? I thought you were only fixing a few things!?" she loved her adjusted look – her dark brown hair was now sleek and straight again thanks to wizarding products, her skin now buffed and glowing again and her face was lightly touched with make up.

"Yes but then we realised the extent we have to go to, we want Malfoy's socks to be knocked off when he sees you! After all, the key to a strong relationship isn't just love, but the ability to keep taking the others' breath away." The ex-Slytherin explained wisely, "Plus, I know he's going to be dressed up tonight and we couldn't just let him greet you with jeans and a singlet!"

Hermione couldn't agree more, if she wanted to be swept off her feet again by the man of her dreams, she'd have to dress the part. Her attire consisted of a peach coloured knee length dress which the bodice fitted her torso then kicked out slightly with cream chiffon underneath giving it volume. Pansy had given her matching shoes and handbag which has been charmed to contain all of her shrunken luggage neatly.

"It sounds like you two have planned a whole night for Draco and me…?" she queried, observing how Ginny kept her eye on the time and Pansy's knowledge on what Draco was up to.

"It doesn't matter, look, I don't want you to get sooty when you Floo through – you'll be going to George's joke shop by the way – so put on this cloak! Come on it's six already!" Ginny helped her into a floor length cloak with a giant hood covering half of her face as Pansy flicked her wand to pack her possessions and shrinking them to the size of matchbox cars.

"But what do I do with this stupid cloak?"

"Button it up and it'll prevent you from getting dirty before your date, come on we're done here, it's time for you to head to the common room and head back to England!" Ginny rolled her eyes and pushed Hermione out of the door and down the long hallway that lead to a large room with several large open fireplaces.

She grabbed a large handful of floo powder from a large pot beside a lit fire and shouted, "93 Diagon Alley, London!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Above and beyond

"I hope that's you Hermy, otherwise I better warn Harry that ole' Voldy is back!"

Hermione pulled off the heavy hood that covered her face, "George! It's been a while? How's business been?" George helped her out of the rest of the sooty coat to reveal her elegant attire.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Hermione let me tell you it's been amazing! Tweedle Dee and Dum have worked on expansion plans and they've increased our manufacturing processes by training new staff fresh out of school by poaching them in fifth year."

"Speaking of Theo and Blaise; how are they?" she smiled at the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes co-founder fondly before readjusting her hair in the reflection of the window.

"They're ambitious, this is more than just fun for them, they always work, and if they aren't here, they're at their joint house working on advertising and potential new locations for us. It's pretty crazy, I even deliver to Durmstrung and Beauxbatons students now – and I'm proud to say all of my products banned from all three schools!"

"I hope you're not hurting anyone with these products, my last parcel was rejected by the wards as it was quote: 'fizzing uncontrollably' – was that intentional?"

"Nope but I did love Bill's Howler afterwards about it."

Hermione laughed and hugged George tightly, secretly she wished she could delay meeting her boyfriend for even an extra hour, she loved him, but she was so nervous about seeing him again. Why couldn't she have never left and she knew that he would be for her eyes only – she knew it was selfish and was so un-Hermione-like but she didn't know what else to think.

"Stop thinking and go, he's in the exactly same shoes as you are 'Mione." She was momentarily stunned and George Weasley's words, but she wore a smile and the sound of chimes echoed as she exited the jokester's building.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

A few street lamps lit the way, skewing the shadows that her figure created. A few groups of people were out, some holding hands and speaking in hush tones, the more intoxicated ones were roaring with laughter; after all it was a beautiful summer night.

The neon sign flickered for Kings Cross Station's entranceway, Hermione's heart began beating just a little faster as her heels clicked against the concrete stairs.

Hermione knew in the back of her mind that Platform 9 ¾ would be closed, so she hoped he'd be waiting at the pillar.

"Calm down Hermione, you've seen him before, you've spoken to him heaps… you may be ridiculously dressed up but it's not like you haven't been before… It's just Draco." Her hushed whispers broken her little bubble as she had phased out the crowds already.

Only a few more steps and she'll be around the corner, facing the secret entranceway to Hogwarts secret platform.

_3_

_2_

_1…_

A lone figure leant against the brickwork. She couldn't see his face but that unmistakably blonde hair shook her to the core. Her feet then took control and propelled her closely, quicker than she had anticipated.

"Draco…" she breathed, tasting the word as it came out.

Suddenly, grey met brown eyes and Hermione's world fell away until there was nothing left but her and Draco Malfoy.

"Hermione…" he had filled out a little more, she noted his midnight black suit was tailored to fit his taller frame immaculately. His hair was a little shorter and left to naturally fall where it pleased and his smile was exactly how she remembered it. She knew the last time she saw him, two years ago, that he was already a man in his own right – but he was so much more grown up in his suit. He oozed class but she raised her eyebrow slightly in surprise by his casual cream dress shirt underneath.

"We match." She concluded out loud, smiling at her friend's plans.

"Naturally, but you seem to outshine me still." He replied, smirking, before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "I've missed you."

"We talk all of the time when we were away…"

"Yes, but talking to you isn't the same as being with you, with you in my arms. I would never forget how gorgeous you are, but even now, you still take my breath away."

Hermione smiled as she looked up to kiss him softly, _yes, he is the Draco that I fell in love with… and he is still in love with me!_

"Excuse me Miss! Are you Hermione Granger? _The_ Hermione Granger?" Draco's lips pulled away as she felt an urgent tap on her shoulder. Hermione turned slowly to see who had interrupted such a precious moment. Facing her was a heavy woman with three children in matching brown coats, it struck Hermione how this stranger reminded her so much of Molly Weasley.

"Yes, um, I am Hermione Granger, is there something wrong?"

"No! Heaven's no! My kids y'see, are huge fans of you and Mister Harry Potter for what you did to overthrow You-Know-Who! Betty, my youngest, reads books all of the time now to be just like you, and well Ben and James are always on their brooms to be like the Chosen One of course, they're hoping to be in Gryffindor too – their father and I are hoping the same…"

"Um, thank you Ma'am, I'm glad I'm a role model for your children but I've just come back from Egypt and I must be-"

"Oh! Yes Egypt! The Daily Prophet mentioned you were becoming a curse breaker there! How wonderful! Still defeating evil I see!"

"Excuse me Ma'am, but this is the first time I have seen my girlfriend in two years and I would appreciate it if we were left to our own devices now?" Malfoy interrupted his impatience evident in his tone.

"Oh my, the Prophet mentioned you were associating with the likes of _him_ but I didn't think it was true! Well I won't keep you much longer, would you possibly sign the boy's trading cards it would be most appreciated!" the hefty woman's once motherly voice suddenly was filled with distain when she referred to Hermione's boyfriend. She didn't think after two years after publicly admitting her feelings, and three years since the war, that people would still be prejudice against others.

"Yes, that's fine, I'm happy to do anything for children who have good role models," she quickly signed them with the quill the stranger produced; "I hope you reiterate to your children that we fought against discrimination between blood classes and that you don't hinder their views by spouting rubbish about my partner and other Purebloods despite their side during the war." Hermione handed the quill back to the astonished woman before linking arms with her lover and walking away seething at their ignorance.

"That was quite the lecture you gave that witch." The blonde man mused beside her as they faced the entranceway of King's Cross Station.

"Is this what it's like back in London now? When did I, more so than Harry, become famous and have followers?"

"You were always worshipped after the War, but as our year became of age, and went out into the real world, people asked questions about the adventures you, Weasley and Potter went on through your years at Hogwarts. The general public got over the grieving and began celebrating, surely you've heard of several past students writing books about 'growing up with the Golden Trio'?"

"So whenever I go out in public now, people like _her_ are going to harass me? I mean I'm glad that they recognised that we helped defeat Voldemort, but seriously, I don't want to sign trading cards of myself all day long – I'm just a normal person!"

"Well, they may harass you when you allow them too, but for tonight, we won't be bothered." Hermione looked up at Draco's words, his eyes shone with excitement as he leant down to kiss her again.

"Are we going to your place then to hide away? If so, it would be a bit of a waste of a dress…" she murmured, groaning inwardly when he pulled away from her and shoved his hand into his jackets inside pocket.

"No, no little Angel, we're not hiding at my place, we'll be in plain view so to speak," he chuckled at what Hermione put down to an inside joke; "for old time's sake?"

She looked at the two objects he retrieved; one - she assumed was hers - was cream, the other was black. It took her a moment to realize what he was handing her.

"So people won't recognize us because we're going to a masquerade ball again?"

"Not quite my Christine; these masks will change our physical appearance slightly, so that no one will recognise us unless we tell them our identities, or they're wearing a mask from the Malfoy Incorporated brand."

As Draco helped Hermione tie up her mask, a cool tingling sensation brushed across her face; looking down, her body hadn't changed at all. "Nothing's changed Erik?"

"These ones will only change your facial features, I still wanted to admire my own girlfriend's figure." He admitted, smirking slightly as she blushed.

"So how will I know what I look like?"

"Look at that window's reflection, come one I want to see how I look as a brunette…"

Hermione was led by her disguised boyfriend to a closed store window display and gasped. She was Malfoy-level platinum blonde, nothing else had changed but that, however it completely changed how she looked as a person. It was almost as if she and the owner of Malfoy Incorporated had just changed hair colours.

"Not too shabby if I do say so myself…" she heard Draco murmur as he ruffled his hair expertly, she couldn't help but giggle. Before she knew it he had spun her around and dipped her as if they were dancing; "You look just as gorgeous as a blonde, I do prefer brunettes but for now, this will do." Before she could respond, Draco drew her into a mind-blowing kiss which, if she wasn't being held, she surely would have fallen.

"So Erik, where are we heading tonight?"

"Well Christine, hold on tight and follow me."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The crack of apparition sounded her and Draco's arrival on the balcony somewhere in the centre of London. It took a moment for the dizziness to subside before he led her from the breath-taking view outside, to a glittering ball room inside.

"Where are we Erik?"

"At the Golden Scale, my love." He responded as they arrived at the Maitre d'hôtel' desk; "Party of two for Erik Phantom at eight."

"Right this way sir, we hope we have accommodated all of your requests to your liking." The host lead them to a table that was centered in the middle of the huge room, directly below the largest gold chandelier which and cream and gold curtains looped across the ceiling. Hermione was taken aback by the gold and cream furniture and table setting and she almost gasped when Draco pulled a bouquet of pale yellow and gold Ellexa flowers* that were on the table and handed them to her gently.

"Dr-Erik, they're absolutely beautiful, thank you!" she gushed involuntarily, gazing at the flowers in amazement.

"Miss, would you like me to place these in a vase on your table so that they will not be damaged?"

"Oh yes please Mister err?"

"Mister Moon, Miss Christine."

"Thank you Mister Moon."

"I will be back with your appetizers and beverages in a moment." Mister Moon bowed first to Draco, then to her before carefully collecting the bouquet from her arms and walking away.

"Wow, Draco you really didn't have to do all of this… This is amazing. I've never been to a restaurant like this before." He offered Hermione her seat as she was talking and looking around at the glamorous restaurant once again.

"Be careful of the names you choose _Christine_… I don't have to do anything, except go to work occasionally; I do things because I want to, like drink this fire whiskey;" he lifted the glass that was placed on the table by the waiter before the man served her a glass of champagne; "and enjoying your company."

Hermione felt her face warm, she knew she was blushing as she tilted her champagne carefully and sipped.

Dinner past too quickly and alcohol flowed freely, soon the table was cleared and the lights were dimmed slightly to highlight the becoming dance floor. Hermione's cheeks were aching slightly from smiling and laughing so much; it was almost as if not a day had passed since Graduation.

"Since we're reminiscing, may I have this dance?"

She giggled as she took his outstretched hand, she felt light headed with glee and intoxication; "At least you won't have to manoeuvre around my wings this time!"

"A gentleman always knows how to dance with a lady no matter what size or shape she is." Her lover replied with a smirk, drawing her closer as the music surrounded them.

"Then why aren't I dancing with this gentleman? Surely he'd know how to dance with a woman of my size."

"Because he'd be mad to try and take my woman."

"Am I a possession now?"

"I'd have to be an idiot to think someone could own you."

"Well you weren't the top of your year so I'm not sure what you think."

"I was only beaten by two people I believe, and I'm fairly sure I would have beaten at least one of them if I didn't intimately court the other."

"I didn't know you were courting Blaise! And here I thought I was the apple of your eye! What's next? Are you going to become good bedfellows with George Weasley?" she laughed lightly as her dancing partner's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Ugh no thanks, don't bend, swing or even look that way thank you."

"Good because I want you all to myself." Hermione rested her head against his shoulder and it just felt right, the world melted away and it was just the two of them in each other's arms.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"So, where do you catch up with the old gang?" she queried, after a few more songs at the restaurant, Hermione had to stifle a yawn that was not missed by Draco, so he promptly paid and lead out on onto the streets of London where they now strolled with linked arms.

"Occasionally, Blaise, Theo, George and I catch up for drinks; with Ginny and Pansy though, they're a bit too well chaotic – they're fighting and blowing up things in their house – in the middle of suburban London too! The Ministry has already lectured both of them about it but Muggles don't see anything because it's all on the second floor of their house which is secured by the Fidelius Charm."

"Wait, they only have the charm on half of their house? How does that work? And why don't they secure the whole house?" her legs and feet felt sore from wearing heels all night despite cushioning charms that were conjured, the champagne had dulled her mind for the night, leaving Hermione feeling heavy.

"Well, what Pansy has told me, that's where they keep all of their Wizarding objects and things, like owls and beauty potions; all of the Muggle stuff is down stairs, they put the extension on themselves so it's not like their neighbors notice a whole floor gone. Plus Ginny has to floo to Romania every fortnight to do her three week stint then she returns, also in case of emergencies with the Dragons Ginny wanted to have a fireplace where she could floo from whenever she wanted to."

"Makes sense…" Hermione mumbled sleepily, pulling her lover closer to her to steal his body warmth.

"Hey, stay awake Granger; I'm not going to carry you the whole way to wherever your place is…"

"Silly Malfoy, careful what names you use… and I don't know where I'm staying, maybe I'll go back to Ginny's place…" her eyelids felt like lead and Draco wrapped his arm around her waist tightly, she wanted nothing more than to fall asleep right there.

"That's ridiculous, stay with me Hermione."

"But it's too soon in the relationship; we can't say that we're ready for that yet! Can we lose the masks now? It's late and it's annoying me."

"Then stay for the night, we don't have to do anything, and I'll take off the masks once we're at my place alright?"

All Hermione could do was nodded as he scooped her up bridal style, enveloping her in his masculine scent as even the pull of apparation could not fight off the call of sleep.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

**Author's Note: What does everyone think!? Apologies about the delay, I am now waiting on a replacement laptop and I can only type when**** my managers aren't here watching my every move **** Please read and review? I've written out the chapter plans for this story, which is more than an epilogue and it has a few interesting plot turns (I hope!) that I've worked out. I plan to have an update next Wednesday (13****th**** February 2013, 5 days!) but with every review I receive I will reduce the new chapter waiting period by 12 hours **** How's THAT for motivation! **

**Side note: The flowers Hermione received at dinner are these:**_** Clivia miniata**_** 'Ellexa'** - This wonderful, high quality clivia has the deepest yellow to gold flowers of all. It turns a lovely pink to reddish pink as it ages. **Because they look and their common name sounds pretty!**

**Xx Kimberley xX**

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	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Well, thanks for all of the lovely reviews **** Sad face… I delayed posting because Wednesday I was waiting all day for at least a review about the story, and Thursday was Valentine's Day and I had work, training then spending lovely time with my partner. **

**Please read and review!**

**Xx**

Chapter Four: Panda Eyes

There was a smell of rich coffee floating around Hermione's pounding head and she hadn't even opened her eyes yet. She mentally scolded herself for the amount of alcohol she drank last night at dinner. The coffee odour made her pause as the cogs in her mind speed up to normal speed.

_Where the hell am I?_

_Where is Draco?_

_Am I at Ginny's place?_

_Why is this bed so comfortable…?_

Finally, she couldn't take not knowing any longer, after rubbing the sleep with the tips of her fingers; Hermione Granger opened her eyes and found herself in a plush white bed with numerous thick metallic-coloured pillows and matching doona. Against her body's protest she sat up and looked around the room, across the floor was several articles of clothing including the mask she wore the night before. She quickly grabbed her body and sighed in relief when she felt that she was still dressed in her outfit.

"You know I would take anything off you unless you wanted me too right?" a voice called from the other side of the room.

Hermione looked up with bated breath, there, standing as if he were a mirage, was Draco Malfoy and his unforgettable smirk. A large bang emitted from somewhere in the house making her yelping in pain, her headache was definitely noise sensitive. "Well that was probably breakfast, but don't worry, I have coffee for you."

She pulled her body into a proper seated position as she watched him approach her with two steaming mugs carefully balanced on a tray. "You could have used your wand you know, then I wouldn't be so afraid that I'm going to be scalded with hot liquid."

"I would have Miss Know-It-All, but it was pre-occupied with flipping pancakes."

"You couldn't put a Repeat Charm on it?"

"Clearly I didn't think of that when I put my wand in my pocket so that I could use both hands for the tray."

"Clearly. Mmm… thank you…" she received the coffee with both hands and a smile; she needed this badly, if she was to get passed this hangover.

"That champagne really hit you hard didn't it?"

"Well, in Egypt, there aren't that many decent places to have a drink, so apart from a brief work function which I chose not to have more than one; I haven't kept up my liquor tolerances like you seem to have."

"The only drinking I've done is strictly business related and the occasional catch up with the One-ear, Nott and Zabini. Did you only drink one because of that arse Fingal?"

"Yes, he didn't like being rejected all of the time, but apparently he does this with all of the new females. I've sorted him out its okay."

"I have no doubt you would have sorted him out at the time but that usually fuels people like that you don't want another situation like, well Weasel, happening again do you?"

Hermione's stomach clenched involuntarily, tightening her hands around the mug she felt the searing heat seep through her skin. "Let's not mention that, like I said, I dealt with it, I sliced him with a knife and haven't heard from him since. I don't want to hear of what Ronald Weasley did to me just as much as you don't want to hear about your past okay?"

Her words silenced her boyfriend quickly, all he did was kiss her cheek and hand her a small vial of liquid. "It's for your hangover, I didn't mean to bring it up, and I just worry because you've been through enough without having to deal with other men. The bathroom is in the room next to this one, towels are in there as well so I'll leave you to freshen up."

On an impulse, Hermione wanted to change the topic dramatically and not fall into a hole of silence.

"Join me."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It had taken a while to convince the blonde Slytherin to undress and accompany her in the shower, she had no idea why she said it. Well she had some inclination, two years is a long time after all and when the hot water pelted across his chest and the steam filled the room she knew she needed to be with him.

Thinking about their duel climax minutes ago, Hermione felt a blush spread across her face and neck as she sat on the kitchen bench in nothing more than fresh panties and an off-the-shoulder thin purple jumper watching her lover flick his wand to resume making breakfast and a new batch of pancakes.

"So what's the plan for today Angel?" Draco queried, with his back facing her as he grabbed juice and milk from the fridge; as he was in nothing more than black silk boxer shorts, Hermione struggled to process what was being said to her.

"Wha? Oh, well I'm not sure, I want to look for a house that I can have on my own. I don't want to just expect to move into your place or something… plus I'll need to set myself up with a workshop in said house, I want to catch up with Ginny and Pansy, along with Theo, George and Blaise. I also want to spend a lot more time with you, oh and I need to find out what jobs I'm being offered, so I'll be waiting on owls to come in at any moment… The list goes on, I also want to see Diagon Alley and look at any new books in Flourish and Blotts. First on my list is to eat because I am starving after the intense exercise I did this morning."

"Well breakfast is now served, and I hope you're not planning to do all of that in one day."

Hermione joined Draco at the table and placed a few pancakes on her plate; "Well as I don't have a time turner, I don't think it's possible, I suppose I could see George etc. today when I go to Diagon Alley so I could kill two birds with one stone so to speak."

"Is that really your plans for today?" Malfoy grumbled between bites, she almost let a piece of syrup covered pancake fall out of her mouth as she glanced up at his sculpted shoulders and chest as he sat casually opposite her.

"I'm thinking so, why what's wrong?"

"Well you may have noticed that those knickers look to be very easy to rip off and I'd much rather do some more exercise to work off the mountain of food we have in front of us." The glint in his eyes made her melt as her thoughts taunted with her, making between her legs very moist.

Feeling her body rejecting thoughts of anymore food, she placed her knife and fork neatly on her plate.

"I suppose everything else can wait until tomorrow."

Those words changed Draco's body into a lust filled animal, he stood up quickly and made his way around the table, as she turned to face him, Draco stepped closer until Hermione felt the back of her thighs pressing against the oak table.

Suddenly the action to put her cutlery in a neat manner was futile as with one foul swoop the plates crashed on the tiled floor and Draco hoisted her onto table. As he pulled her jumper over her head and threw it somewhere behind them, Hermione smashed her lips into his shortly before Draco's tongue explored her own. Hermione felt his hands stroke her body as their lips parted which allowed Malfoy to nip and suck her neck as he made his way down passed her collarbone and onto her bare breasts. Her nipples hardened as his tongue flickered across, giving each as much attention as the other. Her heart was beating furiously, finding herself scratching his back making Draco groan in pleasure. Panting lightly, Hermione's hands left her lover's back as she noticed that between her legs was still a covered appendage that was throbbing for consideration. A low moan slipped out of her as Draco sucked on her left breast, adding to the tiny cluster of bruises of bite marks across her heaving chest. Fighting the severe desire to scream his name, she slipped both thumbs inside the elastic waistband of his attire and let them briefly skim over her companions' rock hard cock. Her seductive actions drove him further over the edge as Hermione concentrated on teasing by pulling down his boxers slightly with one hand and caressing him with the other.

Suddenly Hermione felt Draco's fingers on her inner thighs, slowly massaging and making their way closer to her lips, she faltered her own hand massage she was giving him.

"You're so wet Granger…" he growled hungrily, pushing aside her soaked lingerie and tracing her lips, teasing her before slipping a digit in and making her gasp in bliss. "Want me to fuck you Granger? Want me to take you on this table right now?"

She was heaving heavily as he used his other hand to lay her onto the table and climbing fully on top of her, expertly not stopping. "Draco…" she moaned, arching her back so they were completely pressed together, desperately wanting all clothing to disappear so she could feel him inside of her. "Take me now…" she choked out before throwing her head back and letting out another moan.

Instantly his finger slipped out of her, leaving her disappointed before the sound of tearing clothing sent shivers down her spine. "You better replace those!" she managed to growl, she had been wearing more new lingerie Pansy and Ginny had bought her.

"Well, if you didn't want it ripped off you, don't wear it." And with a quick thrust of his hips as his member slipped in, Hermione almost scream in a mix of pleasure and pain as her lips were still tender from hours earlier.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The sun was setting as they lay tangled in each other's arms, a thin blanket spread across their bodies when they finally decided to break the content silence.

"We should probably get dressed…" she began, breathing in his intoxicating scent.

"Why, it's not like we're going anywhere or have to do anything."

"But I have to make a to-do list, then track down an appropriate area where I want to live, write the pros and cons on living in Muggle or Wizarding London. I want to send letters to everyone to organise a catch up. Plus I have to contact Bill to see if any offers have come to him that were meant for me… so much to do!"

"Well, unless you want to be harassed constantly by people like that _wonderful_ woman and her brats at Kings Cross, you should live in Wizarding areas, but if you prefer a quieter life you should live in a suburb like mine and the lesbians' that's surrounded by Muggles."

"Never thought it would be the day that Malfoy lives in Muggle suburbia!" she quipped, grinning into his neck.

"Quiet you. As for the letters, no one is going to complain if you don't contact them for a while, they know you have to settle in before you do anything."

"Fine you git that solves most of my problems; but what about employment then? I haven't received any offers yet and I don't know if I should research and apply, or just pick up a casual job until then?"

"It's not like you need the money straight away, and if you did you know you may apply for a sponsorship with Malfoy Incorporated don't you?"

"I know, but it's not for the money, it's more for something to do, I loved my training and it challenges me, if I wind up in a book shop I'd probably shoot myself. And I didn't know Malfoy Incorporated sponsored people if they were struggling financially – what's the criteria?" looking up at Draco's smirking facing as she pretended to look extremely interested.

"Well, it's pretty tricky, no one has passed the application process as of yet."

"Oh it must be so hard then, please, go on."

"The first criteria: to be extremely beautiful."

"So one has to be good at glamour charms - check."

"Next, they have the ability to adapt quickly, and be willing to work personally with the Chief Executive Officer."

"Oh I can see how that can be very difficult as I've heard he's an absolute twat."

"and the final criteria is they must be willing to enjoy fraternising with aforementioned CEO."

"Oh, wow, I can't understand how there aren't thousands of women lining up to receive such a lucky sponsorship…"

Draco rolled on top of her and she felt his member twitch on her hip; "Applicants numbers aren't the problem, I'm just waiting for the right one to apply."

"How will you know when they're the right one?"

"What would you say if I already knew the right one?"

"I would say I would be her competition."

"There is no competition." And with that he kissed her deeply.

This is definitely worth putting off her to-do list.

**Author's Note: Yes it was meant to be last Wednesday, but I was also looking forward to hearing from someone about this story, readers demanded for a sequel, and yet no response? Sigh, depression, hormones, Valentine's Day. The plot will thicken the next chapter, I'm just letting Dramione bond and be a couple.**

**Please read and review!**

**Xx Kimberley xX**

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	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE (including some _wonderful_ reviewers) THAT THIS IS A SEQUEL, IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND CHARACTER NICKNAMES LIKE ERIC AND CHRISTINE, READ THE FIRST STORY FIRST. It's on here called 'Don't take your mask off'. It is not my fault as I have given forewarning in the STORY DESCRIPTION that this is a sequel and I'm not quite sure how many times I have to reiterate it. I will not tolerate people who give bad reviews just because they do not understand the story. **

**I would like to ALSO clarify that this is 100% my own story line. I can show you hand written notes with dates on them and working documents with dates saved into it so don't you DARE accuse me of stealing someone else's story. Some believe it may be similar, but I can bet my bottom dollar it's not written the same way and not using the same words. I am absolutely furious about this as it is an insult to one's core to be accused of plagirism. Give CONSTRUCTION criticism and I'll thank you, give a nice review and I am forever grateful, but be a rude person with a ten-foot-pole up your hole that thinks they're the ducks nuts with English and the art of story writing/telling and you have possibly made me spill my morning coffee.**

**Thank you, I hope you like this chapter! I am so sorry about the belated reply, I went travelling, I've hand written dot points for the next few chapters so hopefully I'll be able to post one chapter per weekday, or every second day. **

**Please forgive me with reviewing!**

**Xx Kimberley xX**

Chapter Five: Brick by Brick

"So as you can see, the house is only one storey, but it's solid with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, the master has a walk in wardrobe and en-suite with the bathroom windows opening up to the backyard, the other bedrooms are only slightly smaller, and each have built in wardrobes. The kitchen is large, and it has an open plan living room… shall we walk through?" the real estate agent was a thirty-something, white-blonde peroxide and collagen filled bimbo Hermione thought, who couldn't take her eyes off her companion.

"It does sound lovely Kristy, will you please open it up so that I, I mean we, can walk through ourselves?" Draco cut in before she could answer snidely, it's not like she would be noticed anyway. As soon as Malfoy mentioned his full name, the muggle gold digger's eyes lit up like Christmas and ignored her actual client.

"I think you're being more of a hindrance than helpful." Hermione growled to the businessman, careful to not let the real-life aged Barbie doll hear.

"Not my fault she knows who I am."

"Well, it is, you could have been just a Wizarding business but no, that's not enough for Draco Malfoy, everyone in the world has to know who he is!" she rolled her eyes as she stepped through the entranceway of her potential new house.

"Well, hate to admit it but muggles have money too, lots of it when you incorporate the transaction to our currency, I'd be stupid not to go into it. Enough of that, let's see what the blow-up doll is showing us."

Hermione nodded in agreement before turning her attention to the unfurnished home she was inspecting. It was nice enough hallway which opened up to a pale caramel living room which complimented the dark wooden floors. She wandered into the guest bedrooms, noting each room's size and the probability of if they could fit all of her trinkets and books into either one.

"Maybe both would have to hold them if I were to buy it… or an extendable charm possibly, I'd have to get Ministerial approval no-doubt, and create a Fiddilus Charm as well, I'd have to get a secret keeper… or I can just be one myself…"

"Talking to yourself is the first symptom of insanity." She heard Draco muse behind her.

"I'd rather be insane then completely and utterly normal." Hermione turned to face her smirking companion and found herself smiling as well.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK KKK GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!" an ear-piercing shriek bounced through the empty house and Hermione heard a whoosh of feathers and a small person stumbling around.

Both Malfoy and Hermione drew their wands and raced into the master bedroom and found when Kristy the real estate agent opened the large windows, a rather large tawny owl had flown in and tried to deliver a letter.

"HELP GET THIS UGLY BIRD OFFA' ME! HE'S MESSING MY HAIR UP! WHAT NORMAL OWL FLIES DURING THE DAY!?"

Hermione felt a panic rise in her chest; a muggle has seen an owl trying to deliver a letter to some Wizard, the Ministry can and will kick them out of the country for it. Without a second thought, she stunned the blonde woman whilst Malfoy conjured a pillow to cushion Kristy's fall. Once the owl realised there was no crazy woman trying to shoo him away, it promptly flew over to Hermione and dropped off the parchment before soaring out the window and into the distance.

"Draco, take her to the kitchen, conjure a step ladder, obliviate her memory and tell her while she was showing you the top cabinets and cracking onto you, she fell and knocked herself out. I need to see what's in this letter." She ordered, turning straight into damage control mode.

"Yes Ma'am!" her boyfriend saluted and levitated Kristy out of the room.

Chuckling, she focused on the official-looking letter that had several tiny ancient rune letters on the front saying 'Ms Granger' after a quick translation.

_Dear Ms Granger,_

_After reviewing your apprenticeship report, we would like to meet with you and your mentor in three days' time (Friday) to discuss a potential position within our company as a Junior Curse Breaker. I am told that your Mentor, Bill Weasley, who works with Gringotts, resides in Egypt for the time being. We will meet in Mr Weasley's office at 7am sharp. This is not a formal interview; however certain tests may be presented to you._

_Items you will need for this interview:_

_Graduation certificate from your school_

_Certificate from your apprenticeship_

_Entry papers that were used to secure your apprenticeship_

_Any theoretical work in regards to Curse Breaking_

_A depiction of your translation abilities with Ancient Runes_

_Wand_

_Change of clothes_

_Dragon hide boots and gloves_

_If you accept, please send an owl._

_Regards _

_William James Whittaker_

_Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board_

_Whittaker & Welsh Co._

She felt like jumping up and down, dancing through the house like a sugar-filled idiot; the only thing that stopped her from acting that way, was two voices echoing down the hall.

"Oh fuck off barbie." She growled, it felt odd, as she was still getting used to her new streak of jealousy that the real estate agent invoked in her. Making her way to the kitchen she found that Draco looked bored and impatient, as Kristy continued to lavish attention on the businessman.

"Oh Mr Malfoy, don't you just see yourself setting up in the living room, on a couch with someone special? Or I read that you enjoy cooking, maybe you could cook for me one time?"

"I'm afraid it isn't Malfoy's decision to make!" Hermione interrupted, making both face her.

"What do you mean? He's a free man; he can cook for whoever he wants to."

"I mean in regards to the house as I originally approached you for a house for myself, not my boyfriend's."

"You're not his girlfriend!?"

"Actually, she is, and you have done a poor job in looking after her real estate needs. We were recommended to your office hoping to find a house to settle down together with, however since you're too busy trying to whore yourself out I think we will take my girlfriends' business elsewhere. Be sure to note that I will be mentioning this to the Principal Licensee of your office seeing as how I am looking into buying several more properties for my portfolio and have now decided to take my, and my client's business to another agent. We're leaving." Malfoy swiftly spoke up, his tone serious as he inspected his nails meticulously.

Kristy looked like a fish out of water, gaping and paling at the realisation of her mistake.

"You can't leave! I'll report to the papers that you were flirting with me the whole time, trying to make me give you a cheaper deal and trying to cheat on your ugly girlfriend! I'll say you slept with me if you don't buy this house!"

"Threats? Really? Well let me tell you something you blow up doll, I don't take kindly to threats, especially when I'm recording them. You will hear from my lawyers. Any reputation that states you being more than a gold digger will be shattered. We'll see you in court."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"We'll see you in court!" Hermione snorted, "You handled her like Detective Munch would!"

"Who the hell and what the hell is a Detective Munch?"

"Oh, from a muggle show, Law and Order, well one of the spin-offs really… he's a police officer, like an Auror, who investigates crimes and he's pretty witty… I think he's dead now though…"

"Sounds like a bit of a dickhead really." Draco replied, lacing his fingers with hers as they walked along the pathway in suburbia.

"He's not; you don't know him at all!"

"Well who cares? What was in the letter?"

"Oh! Yes, well I have an interview on Friday back in Egypt at seven in the morning with Whittaker and Welsh Co. Bill's told me about them before, they're pretty ruthless when it comes to getting the best sites to work on, I'm not sure on their flexibility though because I want to stay in London."

"They have two workshops in London but they're in secure areas, it took weeks to sort out their entire placement contracts for their European unit, I had to sort them out personally with their Director because they don't usually employ the cleverest of administration staff."

"I didn't know Malfoy Incorporated worked with curse breaker companies, why didn't you tell me this?"

"Because we don't work directly with them, only finding them appropriate locations for their practical work, as well as their business contracts with Grigotts and other companies – you wouldn't want to exploit your boyfriends' connections to get a job would you?"

"Well, no, but it's a handy thing to know in case they ask me about our relationship!"

"What job asks something so personal? Worse comes to worse someone, maybe even the media would ask how you got the job and you can proudly say you got on your marks alone, only finding out later that I am partially associated with the company."

"Ugh!" she threw her hands in the air in frustration, she could have asked so many questions about what company was better and who got the interesting jobs and how to approach said companies.

"Calm down Angel, after tonight, you have two days to prepare for this interview and gather all of the requested items. Tomorrow why don't we go and buy you some new gloves and boots?"

"You, Draco Malfoy, should know that telling an angry person to calm down is the worst thing you should do."

"This is why I followed my soothing words with an offer of a whole day of shopping together tomorrow!"

"Since when is buy two items of clothing a whole day of shopping?"

"Since we'll be going to Diagon Alley to visit Theo, George and Blaise, plus the book shop, buy what you need, then meet the boys and the girls for dinner at the Leaky Cauldron."

"Have you already planned this day?"

"Not really," Draco smirked, "just dinner."

Before Hermione could continue to talk about their plans, something caught her eye. She let go of Malfoy's hand and turned completely to face the tiny house in front of her. The exterior was a soft light grey with a black door and matching window frames and the metal roof was coloured a gunmetal grey. The simplistic garden compiling of tall hedges and tiny shrubs completed the picturesque setting which took Hermione's breath away.

"Oh I love it! Draco, look how pretty that is! It's so simple, you could expand it upwards like what Ginny told me she has at her place, but I would like a balcony too… You could put a little fountain there… or a few seats in the front! I wonder what the backyard looks like!"

"Do I see a familiar War Heroine gushing at my property?" a short man with a thick Irish accent cut in to her rambling; he was leaning slightly on the gate in a clean pressed suit and a friendly smile.

"Finnigan, good to see you have your eyebrows still intact, how many days has it been now?"

It Hermione a moment to click, it was Seamus Finnigan, he had barely grown since school and it was strange to see him in his new attire. "Seamus!?"

"The one and only, Hermione, it's good to see you! Malfoy, I see you're still struggling to stay human after the Ferret accident, well on the inside at least."

Hermione giggled as she looked at her boyfriend's furrowed brow; "Do you own this house Seamus? It's so beautiful, may we please come in?"

"Yes, but only for a little while, I've got guests due in about fifteen minutes."

His sudden frankness threw Hermione, but she followed him through the gate with Draco closely behind.

The inside of Seamus' house was beautiful, it had shades of ivory white and a 'barely-there' grey trimming. The open plan house had dark mahogany floor boards and on the bathroom and kitchen floors there were stark white tiles, there was a niggling feeling which unsettled her a tiny bit – there was no personal touch. Back in the Gryffindor Tower before being Head Girl, Hermione remembered the boys' dormitory was covered in head-to-toe posters of anything and everything; Seamus was usually covered in posters of West Ham along with Muggle pictures of his family. This house though, lacked a personality or even a ghost of who lived there, even the furniture – minimal as it was – was lifeless.

"Where are all of the pictures of your family Seamus? There's nothing here!"

"Of course there isn't, why would I have my stuff here?"

"You said it was your house – are you even really Seamus?" her mind worked overtime as she drew her wand and pointed at whoever the Irish man in front of her was.

By this time, the man behind her burst out laughing before wrapping his arms around her waist and cradling her softly against his body. "Oh my little Christine, you are just so adorable when you're wrong."

Hermione was shocked at his reaction, before noticing the imposter in front of her was laughing as well. "What is going on?" she felt irritated as Draco kissed the crook of her neck.

"Hermione, well good to see you're still suspicious even after that You-Know-Who is dead and gone, don't worry me mam' is too – she just doesn't draw her wand at every open house I hold!"

"Open house?"

"Well Granger, it's what happens when an agent tries to sell a house, they hold inspections to let clients in and show them around…"

"Oh shut up I know what an open house is, so this house is for sale, if this is really an open house, where are all of the people?" Hermione glared at her boyfriend before pocketing her wand and crossing her arms before it dawned on her; "Oh, it starts in fifteen minutes doesn't it?"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the blonde business man smirk and begin to clap, instantly annoyed and his arrogance, she whipped her wand out again and put a full body bind on him.

"Wow, if that's how you treat your boyfriend, I'd hate to be him!" Seamus joked, using his wand to levitate the rigid ex-Slytherin onto a black leather couch.

"He deserved it and he knows it; now, this house is for sale right?" she waited for her fellow Gryffindor to nod before continuing with her heart racing; "Take it off the market and consider it sold – I'm buying it, name your price."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After signing all of the paperwork for the small house, instantly began making plans for the second story of the home, as well as wards and charms. Seamus was more than helpful with everything, claiming that it was the least he could do for her, after helping win the war. During all of this, Draco was still in his full body bind, confined to the couch and only able to glare at Hermione and Seamus laughing when she checked up on him.

"You should release him Hermione; he's one guy you don't want to have on your bad side in the business world."

"He used to be on my bad side remember? It was more bothersome than anything, and he wouldn't do anything to me because he knows I will get my revenge."

"Of course Hermione…" Seamus finished his tea and brushed biscuit crumbs off his suit that were intended for the open house guests which were turned away abruptly upon arrival.

"I suppose I do have to go shopping tomorrow so I'll need him then, _finite incantatum_!" a quick wave of her wand and the blonde man still on the couch twitched once or twice before sitting up quickly and twisting his face into a snarl.

"Granger, I will get you back for that."

She couldn't help but smile innocently at his empty threat "but Draco, just think I could have done worse."

"What's worse than being stiff as a board for a few hours, listening to you and Fiddle-dee-dee-Potato Man reminisce over the good old days!?"

"You've been that stiff before Malfoy, well at least some of you has, so calm down or you'll stay stiff, we're off anyway to rest before our big day tomorrow."

Seamus laughed at her innuendo whilst her boyfriend looked a mixture between cross and hungry for her; turning back to her old friend she picked up the contract; "So I move in, in the next two days? I'll just bring all of my stuff around after an appointment on Friday; I'll owl you once I'm leaving. Lovely to see you again Seamus!"

Exiting the house knowing that her lover was in short pursuit, she disappeared into a deserted side street laced with overgrown shrubs and trees and with a crack of apparition she found herself in her Phantom's kitchen. The sound of another person arriving in the neighbouring room and several hurried steps made her heart skip a beat.

"Little Miss Bossy, you know you're not the Head Girl anymore so you can't crack the whip." Draco's breath tickled her neck as she found his body hovering right behind hers.

"That's right, but that also means you can't teach me a lesson."

"I still can, because you have so much to learn Christine."

"School's out Malfoy."

"Good because then this is legal." And with that he spun her around, at the sight of his hardened member she found her folds becoming wet. Hermione hadn't told Draco yet that sometimes she did like cracking the whip and being bossy so this time she decided to take control.


	6. Chapter 6

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

**Author's Note: Apologies for the delay. Didn't feel like writing for a bit, things happened, things are getting better. I originally told one of my favourite authors I was having this chapter posted up at least a week before but unfortunately work got in the way – go paperwork!**

**Xx Kimberley xX**

Chapter Six: Fateful Whispers

Shopping all day was tiring. Well the way that Draco took her around and showed her every single store that had dragon hide apparel. Hermione yawned for the third time as she adjusted her seated position in the corner of the store while her boyfriend talked about the features of a particular pair of gloves. Hermione didn't care about if the inner lining of the glove was made from unicorn hairs or if a certain designer had hand picked the farmed Chinese Fireball before killing and skinning it… Hermione just didn't like to think about that.

Instead she chose to think about her impeding interview and what would it entail. An owl arrived from Bill Weasley before she and Draco left for Diagon Alley. It detailed several strong words of advice about appearance and the personas of the interviewers. Her mentor's letter came across as: be direct, blunt and confident.

There was so much preparation to be done: reviewing her notes, cross-checking spell crafting and analogies of pre-existing curses as well as being familiar with the up-and-coming projects within her potential new employer. Thinking about her to-do list growing longer and how little time she had to prepare with all of the plans Draco had organised already. She was looking forward to properly catching up with everyone, instead of fleeting greetings before rushing off again but her chance to join Whittaker & Welsh Co. was too important to chance it. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Bringing her forethoughts back to Bill's advice, she didn't notice Malfoy standing in front of her until he clicked his finger and thumb in front of her face.

"Granger, come on, we're done here." His words were smooth and commanding, very much like when he was back at school when they danced with masks on. His demeanour immediately came across as a business man that was beckoning his assistant; however when she looked at the glint in his eye, with her knees weakening, she knew that it was for show for the shopping attendant.

"Aye, aye Captain Twat; do we still have the dinner tonight with everyone?" Hermione replied cheekily with a mock salute as she stood up.

"Well I thought it would be a bit of a laugh if I upped and cancelled it for you."

"That doesn't seem like a very good laugh, why on Earth, did you do that?" she rounded on him with her arms crossed as soon as they stepped out of the store and onto the cobble-stone street.

"Oh but it is just by seeing your face Angel."

"Draco," she bit out through gritted teeth, "why are you cancelling our dinner plans?"

"I was thinking of your well-being actually, your reputation when it came to bothering you when you were in exam preparation was scarier that a Bludger on the loose – and that was less serious than a career-forming interview which is what you have tomorrow. Do you really think you could play nice with everyone tonight with such a big day tomorrow?"

"Of course I can I'm a big girl!" Sure Hermione could remember the numerous times some poor person approached her in the middle of her OWL or NEWT studies; they usually were met with a growl or a bark closely resembling the late Auror Moody. After a while, most students would send a First Year in to ask a question which they would then double as a body shield if she was particularly stressed.

"Yes a big girl who knows a lot more spells than what she knew in school so let's go home so you can do whatever you need to prepare for tomorrow."

"Draco Malfoy I do not need to be treated like a child!"

She wanted to slap that silly smirk off his marble face; Hermione didn't know what was more frustrating, the fact that he was taking control of what they did, or the fact that he was right in the first place! The blonde man's smirk just got wider at her realisation.

"You are simply the most arrogant man I know."

"I love you too."

"Ugh! Let's just go, we'll floo." Sharply turning her heel, Hermione made her way through the crowds of people towards the Leaky Caldron's fireplace.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"I don't think I've got everything."

"I think you have everything."

"No, I'm most certain something has slipped my mind."

Draco sighed for the forth time in the repetitive conversation; Hermione looked again at her reflection to find her boyfriend in it with her, leaning against the door frame with two cups of tea.

"Hermione, you haven't forgotten anything, you made three lists, four packing arrangement trials and several changes in paperwork. If anything you're too prepared for this. Have some tea; you have forty minutes until you have to leave."

"You can never be too prepared!"

"You can if you have seven examples of your theory curse work! Really did you want them to think of you as an overachieving, teacher's pet?"

Hermione was sick of straightening the invisible wrinkles in her curse-breaker attire in the reflection of the bedroom mirror, so she turned to face the man behind her.

"I believe it is called enthusiasm, what's wrong with striving to achieve something?"

"Well as the owner and CEO of Malfoy Incorporated, if I had someone turn up for an entry-level position with _that _much paperwork and obvious plans to improve my business, I would consider them a threat. Don't doubt that I will hire them, but I would keep them at entry level, only to keep my competition from getting them. Remember, if you want to move up quickly in your career, you sneak your way up and do not make them feel threatened. I don't want some hot-shot trying to take over my business, it's mine."

It was her turn to sigh, she was tired from the late night of research, he was right of course, but she couldn't help herself. "Fine. You pick a thesis for me." Her stomach was churning with nerves, as he sauntered over, handed her one of the teacups and proceeded to finger his way through her presentation folder on the desk.

"Hrmm a few of your papers seem to be lacking some punch…"

"How so? I'd like you to know that I received the highest marks a trainee can receive with each of those papers!"

"Yes but some of the topics you did well but it lacked the general 'Hermione-ness', one would think, if they knew you well, that you only did as much as you needed to on some of these theories to get the top marks and that's it."

Hermione scoffed, however inwardly she knew that he was right, her hypothesis on general problems of receiving confusion curses lacked lustre.

"Your thesis on potential looping illusion curses and how they can be tailored to stop curse breakers from breaking into certain rooms is very interesting. Explain it to me."

Hermione waited until he was seated before letting her excitement bubble over in her words. "Well this was a free-lance thesis, for extra credit. Bill explained to me that some curses can be used to entrap the thieves but releasing a curse as soon as you enter a certain area of the treasures location. There are records of finding starved corpses on the entrance of old treasure rooms in which the person was captivated by an illusion and kept there until they died. My theory breaks this down and explains that someone could create a curse that would freeze your body, similar to a full body-bind and then in your mind it would play out the scene of either you breaking the 'curses barriers' and finding the treasure before escaping and living a happy and fulfilled life. I've broken the curse on how it would be designed, then implemented on a specific area, and finally detection points and how to break it. You would have to realise that you're in the illusion because each person is different, but the illusion is the same, if in the illusion, I'm partying my head off and sleeping with several gorgeous men, I knew that would never happen nor would I agree to it so therefore it wouldn't be real. It's like when you're asleep and you realise you're in a dream."

Her boyfriend finished his tea before leaning forward slightly to rest his head on his entwined hands. "You could make it fool proof and have the curse search through your mind to find your memories and draw the illusion from there? Dementors do it with your fears; it's the same basis isn't it?"

"In order for that to happen, you would have to have to curse a living creature so it can evolve and think on its own per say. I don't know if it is possible to create a living curse, plus that's too dangerous. I've explained that in the last few paragraphs, Muggles had a movie series called the Terminator, where computers originally were to help Muggles but then technology evolved and computers began thinking for itself. It almost ended humanity."

"That being so, if a clever person picked up this paper, they could have the ability to create it with a little work and go against your advice and create a living curse – if it were possible. It is probably not the best weapon to be showing a power hungry man like Whittaker."

"Then what should I take?" she sighed, Malfoy always thought about the bigger picture but she always found that taking his advice was the safest thing to do.

"Take your thesis on port key entrapment curses. It's a simple paper, but your argument on destroying verse going through the port key is interesting."

Draco held up the several feet long scroll and began rolling it up before tying it with a thick black ribbon with her name sew in gold on it. "Time to go Angel."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Hermione Granger pulled off her soot-covered cloak and tucked in neatly into her beaded bag. Arriving in the large floo room she felt the cooling charm battle with the searing Egyptian heat – luckily for her, the cooling charm was prevailing. Hesitating momentarily, she propelled her feet forward towards the only door in the room which lead out into the central courtyard of the headquarters for training curse breakers. Outside of the charmed building, the war heroine was met with the glaring sun that blinded her temporarily and immediately she felt her back moisten with sweat.

"Oh Merlin's knickers, I have worked too hard to turn up looking like I've been in a sauna, _manere frigus*_." Hermione murmured the cooling charm and touched her wand to her chest, the effects were instantaneous and she felt her confidence rising as she strode closer to the Trainer's Building where Bill Weasley's office is.

Before reaching the door she noticed a male figure leaning casually on the wall beside it. As the Gryffindor came closer she saw a malicious scowl and skin that was marred with dirt and grease that it was Daniel Fingal.

"Why if it isn't the Virgin Mary, what brings you down here to grace us with your presence?"

"Daniel, it's clear that the curses are unfortunately still keeping you alive. Not that it's any of your business, but I have a business here." Desperate to finish the conversation, as the man before her made her skin crawl worse than Death Eaters did.

"And here I thought you would have brought your guard dog along to help you with this interview. Then again I wouldn't want to be alone with that criminal as much as the next mudblood does."

Her eyes narrowed in on his menacing sneer, uncrossing her arms she slipped her wand into her palm; "Clearly you don't remember last time we spoke alone, because I do not need any guard dog to protect me."

"Ah yes, I did enjoy that little foreplay, you got rougher than expected but my, did it make me wonder what other fantasies you'd like to partake it. I thought about it a great deal as I played with my cock for the next few nights."

"You disgust me."

"It also makes me wonder if you play with that scumbag Malfoy as well in the same way. I do understand your barbaric needs of lashing out but such a _saint_ that you are I am surprised you fraternize with pure evil."

"No one is really pure evil, just mentally impaired in one way or another. Like yourself for that matter, you still believe that you can sleaze your way into anyone's knickers. You'd be a fool if you believe you ever had a chance. Now, enough of this walking down memory lane, I bid you good day Daniel." Hermione easily grew angry and tired with conversing with the poor excuse for a man. She never felt bad anymore about insulting him or dismissing him so arrogantly, a trait she had undoubtedly honed from her lover.

"Well then Granger I wish you the very best of luck with your interview, just be aware that the apple doesn't fall far from the pureblood tree. Sooner or later you're going to be wishing you had someone as _kind_ as me to play bedfellows with."

"You don't know a thing about my partner and I strongly advise that you quit while your limbs are still attached to your body."

"Well, you'll just have to wait and see little kitten."

Hermione felt an eerie sense of foreboding as she yanked open the door and marched through without a single look back. She was sure that if she did, she would see a mentally impaired man silently laughing at his own private joke.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After Hermione's initial tense introduction to the two chairmen of Whittaker & Welsh Co; Bill explained that the interview would be a few small challenges in one whilst leading her to one of the many simulated training rooms in the building.

Despite the cooling charm, she felt her palms become clammy with nerves as her stomach joined in with rhythmic gymnastics when she stood in the middle of the room waiting for the first stage of the interview to begin. The three men including the author of her application acceptance letter, William Whittaker, were seated at a desk on a protruding surveyor's balcony each equipped with scrolls and quills for notes.

A tinkle of a small bell was heard, signalling the beginning of the simulation as a large rocky mountain face appeared to her left, and at the bottom was mountain climbing gear, an old flying broom and a bag. Immediately loving the idea of a practicing test, Hermione sprung into action as she was unsure if there were any time restraint. "_Sonorous_" she whispered, pointing to her throat to amplify her voice for the sake of the interviewers.

"Okay so clearly the first part of the challenge is to break into the hidden area, so I must locate any curses as well as traps and eventual locate the entranceway." Her announcement drew no response so she considered her options before her.

She could manually climb the wall as her mentor always taught her to do, or she could use the broom to fly up. The latter would be quicker, however something was telling her to physically climb as the first clue could be not written on the wall.

Quickly she found herself on the far end of the rock face at an odd angle with her curse breakers bag teetering precariously on a small ledge, a few minutes earlier she had noticed they had simulated the sun to move across to signal real-time however one area on the wall was not adhering to the creation of shadows.

After numerous basic anti-jinxes, tiny etchings appeared in the stone and all of it was in Ancient Egyptian. Itching to tell the panel what it said she opened her mouth but held back as she noticed a faint orange glow in the curve of the inscription.

"Gosh that was close," she announced, "nice touch though, curses the letters so that if spoken you would be sucked into the wall." A faint chuckle that was soon covered with a rugged cough was heard in response, she was sure Bill Weasley thoroughly enjoyed giving her a proper challenge.

Using the appropriate charms, the words danced on the surface, forming new words and a small dome combination lock wheel appeared beside it with three rings –one inside the other – engraved on it.

Noting the previous curses, she secured her rope line before pulling out a note pad and pen, the panel may still use scrolls and quills but trying to re-ink a quill was difficult when hanging from a ledge of a mountain so in that case – Muggle technology prevailed. Deciphering the words and writing them down, she read the words:

_I first open then close_

_And wither at the touch_

_Your body will decompose_

_If you take too much_

_To open you must take a part of me_

_And turn it to the sun_

_But another turn will take you back_

_To where it all had begun_

_The final turn is easy_

_It the smallest of them all_

_Turn me to Osiris_

_And let the land's blood meet the wall_

_You cannot exited without leaving a piece behind_

_Unless you have something just as valuable_

_The mountain will take your mind_

_So heed the warning_

_Follow each word to the letter_

_For the treasures you dream of_

_Inside, they are better_

Hermione smiled; surely the riddle wasn't as blatant as she had read? Unless others could not understand it like she had. Beside her neat curly scrawl she noted the warning on greed, along with which way to turn the combination wheel: first rotate the lock left to right until the tiny notch was at the top of the circle, careful not to knock it a millimetre further otherwise a portkey may be activated which would take her back to the start of the challenge. Then she rotated it from right to left have it point to the ground, or technically, the underworld. Studying the written riddle, it would look to an unknowledgeable tomb-raider like a blood sacrifice but the land's blood in Egypt was no doubt in Hermione's mind water – symbolling the Nile. Tucking the notepad and pen into her knapsack she unhooked her water bottle from its clasp and splashed the wall.

Nothing happened.

Growling in frustration the brunette grabbed her notepad again to re-read the deciphered text, "and let the land's blood meet the wall…"; that's what she had done and yet she was unsuccessful. "I am not going to fail this."

Closing her eyes momentarily she thought back to the first time she had worked with Ancient Egyptian riddles, and her conversations with Bill:

"_Why aren't I getting this yet? I never, not got things!" Hermione's voice was hoarse and screamed with desperation, she had been sitting in this cave for over twelve hours with her mentor and unable to solve the riddle to let them both out safely._

_The eldest Weasley chuckled, "Calm down Bookworm, reading an instruction is one thing, but FOLLOWING it is another. Read the third line – how do two things combine? The have to break down and mesh together so putting the reeds on top of the rock isn't making it combine is it? They're just next to each other but not combined…"_

The memory sparked an idea.

"And when meeting someone you greet with hands!"

Quickly shoving the notepad back into her bag again, Hermione unscrewed the bottle of water and with her teeth she yanked off her gloves. Her mind worked furiously chastising herself for not understanding minutes earlier as water poured it over her hands, the excess dripped all of her boots.

"Here we go!" she whispered, her voice filled with anticipation as her wet open palms made contact with the sun-kissed rock.

It was a strange sensation for a moment, being sucked into a wall. The mouth of the cave had opened, only to swallow her and close quickly behind, leaving her in darkness.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After throwing out wards and standard protection jinxes to crumble any basic traps in her immediate area, Hermione paused to listen to any noise before lighting the tip of her wand and surveying the entrance of the cave.

It was blank, just a narrow room which continued farther then the light did. "Follow the yellow brick road…" she murmured, tentatively placing one foot in front of the other with her light creating shadows that danced on the walls.

It was ten minutes later when the narrow walls began opening up, stopping and studying the new room. It was huge, like the Great Hall was back at Hogwarts, but filled with shining metals and jewels. She understood the warning in the riddle; most treasure hunters would try and empty this place as soon as possible.

Luckily Hermione was on a mission, and wasn't a treasure hunter.

"Clearly the riddles weren't just for normal gold and gems; there must be something magical and dangerous in the cave in order for it to be so well protected." Hermione muttered, raising her wand high above her head to let the light flow further around the room.

A twang of wire echoed in the area, following by a rushing sound and the sound of it hit its target. Hermione felt like screaming she was in so much pain. Her wand arm had been hit with something, and that something was protruding from her arm – both sides. "Motion censored traps?" she whispered to the silence, heaving slightly as a trickle of blood tickled her collarbone. Her vision became a little fuzzy as her body struggled to remain rigid.

"Only a flesh wood you silly bint. Bellatrix gave you worse wounds than this." Her voice was shaky and screamed with uncertainty. Hermione noted that nothing had attacked her before she got passed a certain point in the vicinity, so a plan quickly came to mind.

Counting herself down to three she launched herself backwards into the mouth of the narrow corridor, more twangs and snaps were heard but no contact made. Hermione finally allowed herself to cry and hyperventilate as her arm twitched in her lap – skewered like a lamb.

A hint of déjà vu occurred as she counted again down from three to one before pulling the ancient thin piece of metal out from her limb. Her lip was bleeding now too as her teeth begged to hold on to it in an attempt to not scream again in agony.

Realising that Hermione needed to finish this task and taking two deep breathes, she grabbed her essence of dittany and righted herself before conjuring a bandage and securing the arm back in place.

"Right now that's sorted, let's deal with this bastard."

Walking to the edge of the hall, careful not to go passed her previous standing point, she began a complex serious of incantations and wand movements to allow her to continue further without being noticed.

"Ha!" she grinned in triumph taking several steps forward and not receiving similar treatment as her arm. Satisfied with the cave's defences down, she walked in between the neatly organised sections of wealth until she reached a podium which held a gold statue of a beautiful woman draped in necklaces and bracelets. There was an orange glow to her, as if she had a life force inside of her.

Recalling the panel's instructions, she wasn't told exactly what to collect, but it was a goblin –made artefact which was said to return youth to the aged, and wisdom to a child. Needless to say, it could be worth billions of Galleons.

"It would have to be something to wear though, as they mentioned it was a temporary fix that had to be consumed or worn to be of use, as soon as it was removed age will appear and wisdom disappeared… A necklace would definitely suit the profile. But which one?" with no one around it was so easy so voice her thoughts, making them easier to comprehend as she circled the statue in all of its glory.

Analysing all of the necklaces she noticed they were gem encrusted except for one copper coloured necklace which was nestled in the bosom of the statue. The stone which was set in the metal glowed like the earrings Draco gave her over two years ago. "That has to be it!" she cried in triumph, carefully approaching the pile of jewellery on the statues neck and removing the dull piece.

Very much like a Muggle treasure movie, the ground began shaking and rocks cracked open. "Please don't tell my Bill's been watching movies with his dad again!" she sighed angrily, thankful once more for her vigorous exercise routines once she began dodging rocks and gold that flew in different directions with impact.

Making her way back to corridor she barely even noticed her hand her turned a violent shade of green. It was the same hand that had originally grabbed the item to begin with. "Fucking hell I don't have time for this!"

She couldn't stop and search through her knapsack again without getting crushed by the angry cave, but now as she's noticed it, the green tinged curse was now making its way up her arm and her veins turned black.

And Hermione completely forgot to consider her exit route.

"BOLLOCKS!" she shouted, directing her wand to her arm and using various healing charms which subsided colour of the alarmingly bright green limb.

In the midst of chaos she thought of the riddle she read however long ago – she had to leave something valuable in the necklace's place or leave herself. But what could Hermione leave? Her wand? Nothing else she had was valuable enough to leave unless.

"Draco!" she exclaimed, her fingers reaching for her necklace – it was the only way to talk to him, it was something she kept on her at all times, almost like her most prized possession it had become a part of her.

"I hope Bill gives this back…" her nail caught the clasp and released it from her necklace, allowing the glittering chain to pool in her free hand.

"I give this in replacement! This is a part of me which is now a part of you!"

Hermione placed the necklace in front of her feet hoping that the enchanted cave would accept her exchange – it was her last option, it was either this or fail the test. More of the roof fell down around her causing her to race back down the narrow hallway. From a fleeting glance the cave appeared to not have noticed her possession, only until she found herself running out of the opening and into the bright lights of the simulation room she released that it had worked. "There was no cave mouth to begin with…" she faltered in step, letting her bag slip off her shoulders and onto the floor.

"Well that was an exit we were not expecting…"

Hermione turned to her right to find three men staring at her curiously, one in particular was transfixed by her green hand.

"Mr. Whittaker, I…"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Apologies readers never meant for this chapter to take so long, reality took over ever so slightly.**

**Xx Kimberley xX**

Chapter Seven: Whispers in the Shadows

Hermione's throat was dry and swollen as she tried to explain what she had accomplished, even though her mind had barely comprehended what she had been through.

"Quiet girl; Mister Weasley please mend her."

Her mentor Bill Weasley grinned as he drew his wand and began muttering incantations.

"Thank you Bill." Hermione twitched the corner of her mouth upwards – only just; she was still nervous about the two large men standing before her hand to say.

"Ms. Granger, do you often damage yourself just to get treasure?" Whittaker's body language gave nothing away with his question, it made Hermione on edge.

"Not if I can help it sir."

"Because I do not want to be seeing your name all over worker compensation forms every time I look at my in tray – is that clear?"

It took no time to realise the magnitude of such a statement, "Yes sir, I will be more careful if I am employed by Whittaker & Welsh Co." it was said with more cheek than she intended to.

Whittaker released a large throaty chuckle, "My dear, you're starting on Monday, Mister Weasley has your contract drawn up, all you need to do is sign."

"Thank you sirs, I will have my legal council look over it before I sign it and I will owl it through as soon as the ink dries."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Later that day Hermione was surrounded by friends talking loudly with music from the Leaky Cauldron's local band playing loudly in the corner of the dimly lit bar. She was over the moon with excited as sat next to Blaise and Theo to finally catch up.

"Boys how's business?"

"Never better, we now travel a bit; going to different schools, Blaise is in the middle of searching for a building that would be perfect for our factory set up." Theo began; his face was bursting at the seams from his smile and too many butterbeers

"Why are you searching for a factory? Surely George isn't going to leave the shop front to work in the back of some building?" she sipped her elf wine casually, enjoying the warmth seeping into her toes.

Her question was directed at Blaise, but his expression remained stoic as he sipped his firewhiskey.

"Hello? Zabini, what's up your arse? The lady has asked you a question!" Nott laughed, elbowing his colleague in the ribs.

"Potter's over there. He hasn't stopped staring at you, Hermione." His voice was breathless as he smoothly touched her shoulder to position her so she could see her old best friend.

"Thank you Blaise, I'm going to go talk to him." She stood up, feeling lighter with the celebratory alcohol she had been drinking, as she shot a 'stay-there' look to Draco who was watching her from his conversation with George.

Harry Potter had not changed a bit from his final year; he was withdrawn from the world after the war and kept a wary look in his eyes under his thick messy black hair.

"Harry it's good to see you."

"Hey 'Mione."

"Harry, are you just by yourself?"

"Aren't we all?"

Hermione pursed her lips, when they weren't at their closest, she could read him like a book, although they weren't as close now, a thought niggled at her saying that the Chosen One had come to see her for a reason. "Where do you work now Harry? Did you become an Auror?"

The raven hair boy snorted, "I am done with the showmanship, no I work in the Department of Mysteries."

_That _through her off balance; "An Unspeakable?".

Harry responded with tapping the tip of his nose – a non-verbal confirmation of sorts.

"If you're an Unspeakable, you wouldn't be here about work, so what's wrong?" Hermione placed her glass neatly on the tiny wooden table and leant forward. Out of the corner of the eye she noticed her blonde haired boyfriend sitting next to Blaise watching intently – Theo was off distracting the rest of the party from her absence.

"Did you enjoy your time in Egypt Hermione?"

"Yes of course, I wouldn't have studied there if I didn't like it. What aren't you telling me Harry?"

"And what about the people?"

"Who cares about the people Harry?!" Hermione's anger levels were almost at the point where she was sure accidental magic was going to explode in something other than sunshine and rainbows. She hated when someone wanted to tell her something but beat around the bush to tell her.

"Some things are changing."

Hermione sighed loudly, "Everyone knows things change Harry, what is wrong with you?"

"I'm under oath I can't speak it, but things are going according to fate per say."

"What do you mean, you are acting like that joke of a professor – whats-her's-name, Trelawny!"

"Think Hermione, you're good at that, things started changing in Seventh Year when he touched you. He was never supposed to be that and now people talk to him and he's listening. Things are in motion."

"If you're talking about Draco then you better leave because I wanted him to touch me."

Harry's emerald green eyes pleaded with her silently, "No Hermione, I'm not talking about him, what else happened that year?"

Before Hermione could voice her thoughts and more questions, Harry lurched violently, knocking over her wine glass and his empty ones. She knew better than to make a scene with an old friend so Hermione quickly cast a silencing charm around Harry and her before grabbing a hold of him to keep him still. "Harry, what's wrong?!"

A gurgling sound erupted from his mouth, Harry let out a strangled cry before slumping back into his seat.

Her heart was racing, her instincts kicked in as her mouth let out a stream of healing and diagnostic spells to bring her friend back.

"It's okay Hermione, I just said too much, that was close." A voice murmured weakly, he was struggling to breathe; "That was close, my tongue blew up and blocked off my wind pipe, I must go now and report."

"Harry, you almost died and you actually want to do work? It's ten o'clock at night, not even after Quidditch – which is deadly enough did you want to do a report!"

"My manager would like to know why I tried to interfere with what's happening."

It took a moment for her to click what he was actually saying about his work; "Your work did this to you?"

"It's the job."

"Okay Harry I'll see you around."

"Maybe." Was his one-worded goodbye, it left her feeling uneasy and her curiosity peaked from the conversation as she made her way over back to the table where her boyfriend was.

"What the hell is Potter up to?" Zabini started, glaring and the table that had new occupants filling it.

"Harry just wanted to keep me up to date on his work, that's all, nothing spectacular." Her voice had the tiniest of quivers in it and she hoped that no one picked it up.

"Yes and the Dark Lord wore a tutu on Sundays, cut the crap Hermione, what did Scarhead want?" Hermione kicked herself inwardly, of course Draco would have picked up her body language and how she lied through her teeth about Harry. He knew her the best and could read anyone like a book

"Harry works for the Department of Mysteries now as an Unspeakable."

"Yes we know that, it was all hush hush until some retard at the Daily Prophet got lost in the Ministry and bumped into him, then decided against better judgement to blab it to the whole wizarding world for weeks." Blaise's dismissal was rather abrupt as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat and swirled his drink.

"Oh, well, it was sort of like a warning, saying back in Seventh Year, someone went against fate, now the fates have changed and now things are going according to a different plan. Harry said that since he touched me, people talk to him and he's listening…" she was started to feel a bit nauseous because tiny bits of Harry's riddle hit home.

_Since he touched me…_

"I think it's time that we head off, my little curse breaker looks like she's a little too worse for wear." Draco Malfoy curtly stood up; Hermione didn't noticed that he had had his arm around her waist until she was standing up as well. Her head was swimming so much she barely heard people say their farewells.

_Since he touched me…_

Hermione felt her feet leave the wooden floor and land with a pop in her new home.

"Angel, can you hear me? I know you figured out something that Potter said I need to know you're okay." His voice was like a silk scarf with frayed edges – slowly coming apart with every word he spoke.

"Since he touched me. Draco. Harry said it wasn't about you. It was about him wasn't it?"

"It may have been, look, just breathe, he's locked away forever in Azkaban. I'll even voice my concerns over security if it means you'll calm down and stop overthinking."

Her war instincts clicked it, taking a deep breath as instructed, she focused on the present; "Okay, so if it's about, him, and he's put away it doesn't matter because we won't have to deal with it, right!? So then I shouldn't worry, that was a long time ago and he didn't get that very far anyway. It's all safe." She looked into his light eyes which were clouded with concern; her instincts told her to push the future and the past away, just to focus on what was happening right now. The Third Year Hermione in her would have rolled her eyes at the Trelawney type predictions and mentions of fate.

"Let's go to bed Draco, no point worrying about someone who's pretty much dead."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It had been a few weeks since Hermione had found out she got the job as a Junior Curse Breaker for Whittaker & Welsh Co.. She had completely settled into her home and Draco and she were alternating nights at each other's places. Occasionally she'd kick herself for not moving in with him straight away but found her logical side still directed her to take things slow. Hermione's morning exercise routines were back, but instead of running around the lake at Hogwarts, she ran around her neighbourhood. It took her several attempts at finding her wand back home but in back alleyways a simple 'Point me' spell simply resolved any issues.

Yes Hermione Granger was blissfully happy.

Unlike her first day at work, she found her normal trip to work wasn't daunting; dressed in tight black pants, a loose white button up blouse with dragon hide gloves, boots and trench coat; she walked purposely into the tall building. A muggle would see a sharp entrance with the Queens' coast of arms etched in the glass doors which screamed public service agency but any magical folk saw the ominous Whittaker & Welsh Co..

Brushing the wisps of hair that had freed themselves from her messy up-do, Hermione continued through the secondary entrance doors and passed the array of desks and offices until she reached the far back corner, away from all of the large windows in the juniors area. The only other junior that was in this early in the morning, was Antionette, a gorgeous French woman who was two years older than her. Antionette was sipping her espresso deep in thought as she read through the Daily Prophet, occasionally indulging in one of her rare English favourites – a crumpet. The Beauxbaton graduate was taller than Hermione, and with thick luscious blonde-dyed hair, doe-like brown eyes and flawless skin; members of the public would often mistake her for a model. Nodding at her stunning colleague, Hermione dropped her things at her desk before making her way down the hall to her superior, Patrick Jennings.

Upon knocking tentatively, Hermione was let in by a hurried call. "Yes, yes, Miss Granger, good to see at least two of our Juniors are in, no idea about the other eighteen or so, ridiculous isn't it? Twenty Juniors and only two hear before eight-thirty in the morning! Especially at a time like this, what did you want Miss Granger?"

Patrick Jennings was usually not a rambling man; in fact, he was usually in complete control. Standing at well over six foot, all of the newcomers to Whitaker & Welsh trembled at his feet as soon as orders were given. He was almost like the late Professor Snape, but less greasy and could have easily managed not just one bully in his school years, but several. For Patrick Jennings to have been out of sorts, something dire must have happened.

"Mister Jennings, I was just reporting in this morning to see if I could be of assistance for anything? And to say good morning."

"No Miss Granger, out you go, and morning also." His quick dismissal further confused her, noting he had dropped the 'good' in his greeting. Hurrying out of the large office, Hermione sat down unceremoniously at her desk, summoning her teapot and cup to the kitchen to make itself a pot of black tea.

"Morning 'Nette, how are you?"

"Mon amie, did you see Jennings already?"

"Yes, what on Earth has gotten into him, one would think the real Jennings is tied up somewhere and someone was in his place with polyjuice."

Chuckling, Antoinette swivelled her chair around to face the English woman; "Wouldn't that be a fantastic? I would ask for a raise, the real Jennings resists my charms but the fake-Jennings would never know what hit him! But no Mia! There was a curse breach at Azkaban, I overheard Seniors talking about it in the kitchen, you would hear it too if you got up and got your own tea!"

"Nette, most of the time there's drivel with flecks of faecal matter coming out of employees mouths in that kitchen so I would rather hear it in a meeting then what Trixie, or Joe-blow has to say. Were there any escapes from Azkaban?" Hermione tried not to let fear come into her voice, after all most of the occupants of the wizard prison were because of her, Harry and Ron.

_Ron…_ a thought wanted to linger with that name a little longer but she pushed it to the back of her mind as quickly as it was brought up.

"Ahh Mia sometimes there is useful faecal matter found in the kitchen, like exciting jobs, or who's going, then you can contemplate your career by trying to move up the ladder that way! As for the convicts, well, no one knows yet, they're keeping it quiet. Something about not being able tell who's there and who's not. One of the Seniors was saying that a few of us have to go over there to fix the curses and see what's going on… sounds dangerous!"

"Yes, but it would be exciting, but how would we be protected? The Dementors have been proven to fail beforehand so who knows what could happen…"

"Oui, hence why no one wants to go."

Before they could continue their conversation, a rustle of paper planes flew across the office with tiny wings and horns announcing their urgent arrivals. Antoinette picked up one message that was catapulting itself around the Juniors area as several more Juniors made their way into the office with bleary eyes and grim smiles.

"Juniors, it's an office meeting in five minutes! Looks like you useless escargots made it just in time!" Antoinette grabbed Hermione just as just charmed her tea into a travel mug before they hurried upstairs into the large meeting rooms.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Morning all, I'll make it short, the Ministry has informed us that a fog has fallen across Azkaban, this has somehow messed up the wards that they have up there, along with places curses of its own in place. The Minister has advised us that we need to send a team there quickly and resolve this matter as soon as possible. We will be sending an elite team of different levels to amplify our chances of a quick solution. The team will consist of one team leader from the master curse breaker level, namely myself or one of my deputies; three expert curse breakers, one researcher from our R&D team and finally one junior because fresh eyes are always helpful. I will consider and announce the team tomorrow, if you would like to put yourself forward for consideration, or you wish not to be selected, please see me by close of business today. Now get back to work." Jennings announced, ignoring any raised hands for questions, he left the room followed by his assistant – leaving the rest to discuss the elite team in loud whispers.

"Only one junior, that would do wonders for anyone's career – I bet it'll be one of us Mia." Antoinette proudly gushed, grabbing Hermione's arm again and leading her downstairs back to their desks where one girl muttered angrily in French over her current curse project, and the other stared blankly at hers as she thought about angry blue eyes and fiery red hair.


End file.
